Molding apparatus for flower pots



July29, 1958- M. F. JONES 2,844,857

' MOLDING APPARATUS FOR FLOWER POTS Filed July 20. 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet lV v Melvin E Jones 1N VEN TOR.

5 BY 7 WW Anomtys 2. Sheets-Sheet 2 m m M M W B July 29, 1958 MP. JONESMOLDING APPARATUS FOR FLOWER POTS Filed July 20, 1953 3 r/ 4 aw fill ima QVMVVVVv /FMW WJ WV V A Fig. 3

r 2,844,857 MOLDING APPARATUS FOR FLOWER POTS A Melvin F. Jones, Tampa,Fla.

Application July 20, 1953, Serial No.369,194

1 Claim. (Cl. 25-22) My invention relates to improvements in handoperated apparatus for molding flower pots, and the like.

The primary object of my invention is to provide apparatus for moldingflower pots out, of clay, plastic, or other suitable material, and whichis operative to compress the material by operation of a single handlever and is substantially foolproof and so easy to operate that it iswell adapted for use by the blind and similarly handicapped persons.

Another object is to provide molding apparatus having the aboveadvantages and which is safe to use and inexpensive in constructionwhile being light in weight for easy movement about as occasion mayrequire.

Other and subordinate objects, within the purview of my invention,together with the precise nature of my improvements will be readilyunderstood when the succeeding description and claim are read withreference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of thisspecification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my improved apparatus in thepreferred embodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is a view in front elevation;

Figure 3 is a view in vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure2;

Figure 4 is a view in plan with the sections of the shell shown openedin broken lines, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in vertical section of the pallet andmolded flower pot.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, my improved apparatus, asillustrated, comprises a rectangular, flat top base 1 provided withcorner legs 3 and with depending front and rear webs 5, 7 and with acentral, annular flange depending from its top 11 and defining acircular central opening 13 in said top.

A hollow, closed mold core 15 projects upwardly through the opening 13and is vertically movable for a purpose presently explained by operationof an underlying hand lever 17 pivoted at its rear end, as at 19, to therear web 7 for vertical movement and extending across said base 1 underthe top 11 out of a vertical slot 21 in the front web 5 with a fronthandle end 23. A link 25 pivotally connected to the bottom 27 of thecore 15 and to the hand lever 17, as at 29, 31, opertively connects saidlever to said core 15.

The core 15 is of annular cross-section and embodies an upper, upwardlytapering molding portion 33 for correspondingly shaping an invertedflower pot, and a bottom, non-tapering portion 35 vertically movable inthe opening 13 and flange 9 and slidable in a pair of upper and lowersealing gaskets 37, 39 in said flange 9 recessed .into the flange 9 andretained in place by screw attached top and bottom keeper rings 40, 41at the top and bottom of the flange 9, the top ring 40 being recessedinto the top 11 of the base 1 flush therewith for a purpose presentlyseen. The function of the gaskets 37, 39 will presently be explained. Anaxial teat 43 is provided United States Patent 2,844,857 Patented July29,1958

on the top of the core 15 for forming a drain hole in the bottom of theflower pot.

A'moldshell 45 of relatively larger diameter than the core 15'is.provided for coaction with the upper portion of the core 15 to mold aflower pot 42 in inverted position. The molding shell 45 comprises apair of semicircular complemental, half-sections 49, 51 having upper andlower, lateral pairs of hinge ears 53, 55 at the rear edges thereofwhich, together with a vertical nut equipped pintle bolt57 extendingthrough said lugs hingedly connects the sections 49, 51 together foropening and closing toopen and close shell 45 and so that said shell,when closed may be positioned in surrounding relation to the core 15with the vertical edges of the sections arranged at the rear and frontof said base 1.

The shell 45, when closed, is provided with an upper portion 59 taperingin conformity with the portion 33 ofthe core 15, and with a bottomnon-tapering portionsections 49, 51 closed and comprises a pair oflateral lugs 67, '69 .on said sections 49, 51, respectively, at thefront edges thereof, and a forked locking lever 71 pivoted, as at 73, onthe lug 69 and vertically swingable into and from straddling relation tosaid lug 67 to lock and unlock said sections 49, 51.

An annular pallet 75 with diametrically opposite hand grips 77 isremovably imposed on the top 11 to the base 1 and fits around theopening 13 to support the shell 45 by the lower edge 79 of the shellwith its upper edge extending above the core 15 a distance equal to thethickness of the bottom 81 of the flower pot to be molded. An upstandingannular flange 83 on the pallet 75 at the inner edge thereof spaces thelower edge 79 of the shell 45, and hence the remainder of the shell,from the core 15 concentrically of said core for pouring of moldingmaterial in between said core and shell. The flange 83 is provided witha peripheral groove 85 to stabilize the flower pot 42 on said flange forremoval with said pallet 75.

A wedge 87 is removably fitted in the bottom of the slot 21 under thelever 17 and provides meansfor lock-- ing and holding the lever 17 inupwardly swung position against the top of the slot 21 to elevate thecore 15 in upwardly moved molding position in the shell 45.

The previously mentioned gaskets 37, 39 form a sealed lubricating space89 in the flange 9 around the lower portion 35 of the core 15, whichportion is parallel with the axis of the core 15 to facilitate verticalmovement of said core. Grease fittings 91 and grease ports 93 in theflange 9 provide for introducing lubricating grease into the space 89 toprovide for reducing frictional resistance to vertical movement of thecore 15 so that the same may gravitate downwardly.

A suitable tamping tool 95 is provided for tamping the molding materialin the space between the core 15 and shell 45.

In operating the apparatus, the hand lever 17 is moved the wedge 87firmly inserted in said slot beneath said lever 17 so that the core 15is locked in upwardly moved molding position. The molding material isthen poured into the top of the shell 45 to fill the space between saidshell and the mold 15 and cover-the top of the core 15. The moldingmaterial may be tamped and smoothed across the top of the core 15 as maybe desired by the tamping tool 95. After the material is partly set, thewedge 87 is removed to unlock the hand lever 17 and the core 15 so thatthe same will drop downwardly and the core 15 will be removed from themolded flower pot 42 to strip said core. The shell 45 is then removed byunlocking the sections 49, 51 and swinging the same open and lifting theopened shell off the pallet 75. The pallet 75 may then be removed bymeans of the hand grips 77 with the flower pct 42 thereon and set asidein a suitable curing rack for complete setting and drying of the moldingmaterial. During raising and lowering of the mold core 15, the same isguided and maintained in proper position against tilting by slidingcoaction of its lower portion 35 and the gaskets 37, 39.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suifice to impart a clearunderstanding of my invention, without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification,without departing from the inventive concept, and right is hereinreserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appendedclaim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

Apparatus for molding a pot comprising a base having a central topopening, an annular removable pallet on said base having an opening ofthe same size as said top opening concentric thereto, an open top shellhaving a lower end seating on said pallet and removable therefrom, acore extending upwardly through said openings in spaced relation to saidshell to mold material between said shell and core into a flower pot,said core having cylindrical portion slidably depending through saidopenings and being movable upwardly into molding position andgravitating downwardly through said openings into stripped position, avertically movable lever operatively connected to said core for upwardswinging to move the core upwardly, and a displaceable wedge mounted insaid base for holding said lever in upswung position, said pallet havingan upstanding annular flange at its inner edge engaging said shell andcentering the shell on said pallet and being provided with a top grooveto seat and stabilize a molded flower pot for removal with said pallet,and a pair of opposite hand grips on said pallet for removing the same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS835,967 Martin Nov. 13, 1906 923,853 Kennell June 8, 1909 968,111Bennett Aug. 23, 1910 981,267 Howard Ian. 10, 1911 1,118,855 Baase Nov.24, 1914 1,143,490 Berry et al. June 15, 1915 1,302,370 Houck Apr. 29,1919 2,681,494 Weber June 22, 1954

